מַשְׂכִּיל לְדָוִד בִּהְיוֹתוֹ בַמְּעָרָה תְפִלָּה

A contemplation by David when he was in the cave, hiding from Saul’s henchmen; it is also a song of prayer.

קוֹלִי אֶל ה' אֶזְעָק קוֹלִי אֶל ה' אֶתְחַנָּן

My voice is to the Lord when I cry out; my voice is to the Lord when I plead.

אֶשְׁפֹּךְ לְפָנָיו שִׂיחִי צָרָתִי לְפָנָיו אַגִּיד

I pour out my woe before Him. The word siḥi, translated here as “my woe,” connotes both prayer and sorrow. Before Him, I speak of my trouble.

בְּהִתְעַטֵּף עָלַי רוּחִי ואַתָּה יָדַעְתָּ נְתִיבָתִי בְּאֹרַח זוּ אֲהַלֵּךְ טָמְנוּ פַח לִי

When my spirit grows faint (see 77:4), You know my way. You know that the path I follow is not one of evil. Nonetheless, on the road where I go, they have laid a trap for me.

הַבֵּיט יָמִין וּרְאֵה וְאֵין לִי מַכִּיר אָבַד מָנוֹס מִמֶּנִּי אֵין דּוֹרֵשׁ לְנַפְשִׁי

Look on the right, as one’s right side represents his strength, and see. “The right” may also refer to the place where one’s friends stand by him. I have no one who knows me, and I am completely alone; there is nowhere to flee. No one seeks my well-being. No one is looking after me or seeking ways to help me.

זָעַקְתִּי אֵלֶיךָ ה' אָמַרְתִּי אַתָּה מַחְסִי חֶלְקִי בְּאֶרֶץ הַחַיִּים

I cried out to You, Lord, and said: You are my only refuge, my portion in the land of the living, my only source of help in this world.

הַקְשִׁיבָה אֶל רִנָּתִי כִּי דַלּוֹתִי מְאֹד הַצִּילֵנִי מֵרֹדְפַי כִּי אָמְצוּ מִמֶּנִּי

Listen to my cry, for I am greatly weakened. Rescue me from my pursuers, for they are too strong for me. I have become so weakened that I cannot hold my own against my enemies.

הוֹצִיאָה מִמַּסְגֵּר נַפְשִׁי לְהוֹדוֹת אֶת שְׁמֶךָ בִּי יַכְתִּרוּ צַדִּיקִים כִּי תִגְמֹל עָלָי

Release me from confinement, so I may give thanks to Your name. The righteous, through me, will be glorified when You deal kindly with me.